When There Was You And Me
by Musetta31
Summary: Christmas present for Kennedy's Friday Night Delight. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin broke up. Chris realizes his mistakes. But when Alex has a new boyfriend, what can he do but watch as his Alex disappears? Now a five shot story, using various songs.
1. When There Was You And Me

_Merry Christmas to Kennedy's Friday Night Delight! This is an Alex Shelley fanfic to the song "When There Was Me And You" from High School Musical._

_Legalities! I own nothing, I just let the muses run through me and make the fiction happen. Enjoy!_

* * *

_**It's funny when you find yourself  
Looking from the outside  
I'm standing here but all I want  
Is to be over there**_

Running a hand through his hair, Alex sighed. He was sitting on the roof of the arena they were in that night, looking out at the sky, thinking. Was there really anything to do besides go to the hotel? He had no one to hang out with, not since he and Chris split up.

The man looked out across the way to the parking garage that most of the guys were in. On the top, just in his view, was Chris' car. The other man was walking up to it, laughing. He pulled out his keys and got in the car, oblivious to the boy sitting only yards away from him on the next roof.

Alex looked down as Chris drove away. He put his head in his hands for a moment before standing. He looked around again, meeting the eye of one Johnny Devine. He nodded at the other man and turned away, descending the stairs to the bottom floor of the arena. With a sigh, he started toward the hotel. "Man, I need a drink."

* * *

**_Why did I let myself believe  
Miracles could happen  
Cause now I have to pretend  
That I don't really care_**

Sitting at the bar, Alex looked around for someone to drink with. He smiled a bit when he saw Johnny walking in the door, but it faded when he saw the man next to him. Shaking his head to get rid of the anxiousness, the boy walked up to the two men with a grin. "Evening, boys. Beer?" he offered, holding out two bottles. Johnny took one with a nod, and Chris extended a hand nervously. Upon realizing that he wasn't being tricked, he smiled slightly and took the bottle.

For a few hours, the men sat around and drank. By midnight, Alex was ready to go. He was buzzed and wanted to go and think a bit. He sighed and stood. "I'm gonna go to my room now, guys. I'll see you for the show tomorrow."

The two nodded. "Night, Shelley," Johnny said. "Thanks for the beer."

Chris looked up at him, misty smile in his eyes. "Night 'Lex."

Upon reaching his room, Alex threw himself onto the couch with a yell. "Why the hell do I care?"

He let his thoughts take him back to several months before.

He and Chris had been in this same hotel, in this same room, together. They'd been dating at the time. And he'd been happy.

Alex had been more than happy with Chris. While he was with the other man, he'd had more successful matches than he could mention. And he'd had no problems, not really. Well, other than the obsessed fangirls that kept making their fanfiction known to him. However accurate it was, sometimes it was troublesome to realize how well his fans could read his life.

They'd broken up in that hotel. In that room.

Alex sighed, throwing his head back into the couch. He shook it, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He threw it on the table. Now that they were broken up, he had to act like it didn't hurt him at all, like he was fine with it. Because he was the one that had to prove he could be fine throughout it all. Because no one could see that either one was weak. Because the teasing otherwise would be too hard to bear.

* * *

**_I swore I knew the melody  
That I heard you singing  
And when you smiled  
You made me feel  
Like I could sing along_**

The two had gotten together shortly after their tag-team stint had started. It all began one night over dinner. The two had been hanging out since the start of their training for the storyline, several weeks, when it happened.

Chris offered to take Alex out to a small place outside town, so they could eat in peace. They were toward the end of dinner, just getting desert, and were talking.

"And then, Joe and Kurt picked AJ up and threw him in the pool. I swear, even with the short hair, he looked like a drowned rat."

Chris shook his head, smiling at Alex.

Alex felt a little blush crawl up his cheeks, for some unknown reason. He shrugged it off as nothing. "Who you rooming with tonight, Chris?"

"No one at the moment." He looked down at his plate.

The smaller man nodded, taking a sip from his soda. "Me either. Feel like sharing a room?"

Chris nodded. "Yeah, sounds good to me." The two went quiet for a bit, eating their desserts. Finally the man spoke again. "Hey, 'Lex?"

Alex nodded. "Yeah?"

He sighed. "You ever... been with a guy?"

The other man thought for a moment. "In a relationship? Not exactly. But as... friends with benefits, yeah. I've thought about being in a relationship with a guy, but Johnny was always to scared to do so. We've kinda... grown apart over the last year."

Chris looked up. "Oh. So... You ever thought about... me like that?"

Alex eyed him for a moment. "Maybe. Depends. You ever think of me like that?"

The larger man smiled. "Sorta. Maybe... you wanna... give us a try?"

He smiled, reaching a hand across the table. "Yeah. I'd like that."

* * *

**_But then you went and changed the words  
Now my heart is empty  
I'm only left with used-to-be's  
And once upon a song_**

The two were together for almost a year, when they split. And the reason wasn't one that Alex understood at all.

Chris had taken Alex back to the hotel and ordered food for them both. They ate and were laying in bed when Alex felt Chris sigh. "Something wrong?"

The other man looked down at Alex. "I gotta tell you something, 'Lex. Please, don't think it's you, because it's not, I promise."

The smaller man sat up suddenly, realizing what was coming. "You're breaking up with me. Right?"

He looked down. "Listen, it's not you. I just... I need some time to work things out. Figure out where my head's at. I'm not sure what's going on anymore."

Alex sighed with a nod. "I understand, Chris. Don't... don't worry about it. You sleep in here. I'm gonna go see... Johnny or someone." The man stood and walked out, leaving Chris alone in the room.

It took a few weeks for Alex to get back to normal. The boy hid in his room most of the time, avoiding the questions of his fellow wrestlers. When he finally felt like he could go out again, the boy returned to hanging out with everyone and pretending that nothing happened.

* * *

**_Now I know you're not a fairytale  
And dreams were meant for sleeping  
And wishes on a star  
Just don't come true  
Cause now even I can tell  
That I confused my feelings with the truth_**

The matches the two were in got consistently better, until they obtained the tag team titles. Shelley and Sabin were the best tag team in the industry at the time, and their feuds were never better.

But they weren't close anymore outside the ring. Though they hung out with the same people, Chris and Alex hadn't spoken to each other to do much more than offer a beer or a goodnight. Chris didn't even use Alex's nickname unless he was drunk.

Alex wasn't complaining, though. He realized that Chris hadn't been fully sure of himself when they started dating. He just hoped that they could overcome that, and that Chris would gain his certainty. Since the other man obviously hadn't, Alex couldn't rightfully be angry.

After all, everyone had warned him that Chris wasn't sure of himself. It just took breaking up for him to really see it.

* * *

__

**I can't believe that  
I could be so blind  
It's like you were floating  
While I was falling  
And I didn't mind  
Cause I liked the view  
Thought you felt it too  
When there was me and you**

The tag champs had just lost their match at the pay-per-view. Alex walked up to the roof as soon as he was done with his shower and sat on the edge, thinking. He eyed Chris' car from across the way.

Alex let out a sigh. He missed the man, more than he would've liked to admit. But he missed him. There was no doubting. Alex missed Chris.

His mind wandered, and he let himself wonder if Chris was missing him as well. Laughing humorlessly to himself, Alex shook his head. Not a chance. Chris didn't know what he wanted. No way he'd be missing him. But Alex had loved every second of being with Sabin. Even if it ended in pain.

Running a hand through his hair, Alex sighed. He was sitting on the roof of the arena they were in that night, looking out at the sky, thinking. Was there really anything to do besides go to the hotel? He had no one to hang out with, not since he and Chris split up.

The man looked out across the way to the parking garage that most of the guys were in. On the top, just in his view, was Chris' car. The other man was walking up to it, laughing. He pulled out his keys and got in the car, oblivious to the boy sitting only yards away from him on the next roof.

Alex looked down as Chris drove away. He put his head in his hands for a moment before standing. He looked around again, meeting the eye of one Johnny Devine. He nodded at the other man and turned away, descending the stairs to the bottom floor of the arena. With a sigh, he started toward the hotel. "Man, I need a drink."_  
_

* * *

_Yep, I made it go full circle. I had to. I mean, I went from beginning to background back to beginning. It just clicked that way. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this. I will continue it if it's requested. Review please! Thanks to everyone who's reviewed my other one-shots. I love the reviews! Enjoy all._


	2. One Last Cry

_By request, I shall continue this story! I'm glad you all liked this one! I was enjoying it too... So! This shall now be a three to four part story! I will continue with the music theme... Only now, I'm going back to the teeny-bopper songs that made up my ten to twelve years old time. This chapter! "One Last Cry" by Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boys. I shortened it a lot, you'll have to listen to it to get the whole song, but it fit this chapter very well, so I used the parts I needed._

_Legalities now! I own nothing. The characters are themselves, the WWE, and Vince McMahon's. The song is the Backstreet Boys' and their record labels. The muses just took over me with this one. ^.^_

* * *

Dark eyes scanned the crowd at the restaurant. Alex let out a sigh, sitting down next to Austin. He eyed the man for a moment before letting his gaze wander again. They stopped when he spotted the man in question.

Across the restaurant, with one Christy Hemme, was Chris Sabin. Chris had the girl's hand in his and a smile on his face, that only the person who knew him best would know was fake. Obviously, Hemme didn't know. She went right on smiling, flirting with the uninterested man.

Alex sighed, letting his gaze drop to the table. There was no chance. Not at this point, if he was out with Christy. Obviously, Chris had found his clarity.

With a small smile, the smaller man shifted his gaze to Austin, who was looking at him expectantly. "So. Why'd you offer me dinner?"

The other man smiled. "No reason. Just felt like being out with you, that's all."

Alex looked down for a moment before looking back up into Austin's eyes. "I'm glad. Thank you."

"No need to thank me. Just being out with me is enough."

**_My shattered dreams and broken heart  
Are mending on the shelf  
I saw you holding hands  
Standing close to someone else_**

* * *

Chris sat in the restaurant with Christy, feigning interest in the fiery redhead. He looked up as Alex sat across from Austin, his dark eyes locking with Chris' blue ones for just a moment. Sabin looked away, returning his gaze to Christy. Her hand shortly found its way into his as she continued to speak flirtily.

Chris' attention, however, wasn't on the beautiful girl before him. His eyes shifted back to Alex, who was now talking to Austin quietly. He felt a pang of jealousy and hurt when he saw the small smile cross the other boy's face and looked away quickly.

Christy flashed him a perfect smile. "Thanks for inviting me out here tonight, Chris. I'm having a really good time."

Painting a smile on his face, the man responded, "I'm glad. I'm glad you came."

Though his body seemed to focus on the girl for the rest of the night, his attentions were pulled to Alex. The smaller man seemed to be having a good time, despite the not-so-real smile on his face. Chris let out a sigh when the conversation between he and his "date" came to a lull. He wished he could be as happy being out with someone as Alex was. Instead, he was miserable. He felt fake.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, he took a sip from the glass of water before him. "So, what do you think about dessert?"

A smirk crossed the redhead's face. "Depends on what you were planning."

_**I was here you were there guess  
We never could agree  
While the sun shines on you  
I need some love to rain on me**_

Shaking his head as Christy closed her door behind her, Chris started back down the hall to his room. He was at the elevator, half way to the room, when Alex stepped out from the doors. He wasn't paying attention to where he was going, and so he bumped into Chris. Surprised, he reached a hand out to catch his balance, grabbing Chris' arm. Sabin put his hand out to grab Alex's waist, helping him rebalance. Once the smaller man had his balance back, the two separated shakily.

Chris cleared his throat and started to walk again. "So... How've you been, Alex?"

The blond boy eyed him for a moment before dropping his gaze. "I'm sure you can guess, Chris. Just peachy."

The two fell into an awkward silence before Chris spoke again. "So... ah... Have fun with Austin tonight?"

Alex's head snapped up. "What?"

"I saw you at the restaurant. I was there with... ah..." Chris brought a hand up to rub the back of his neck nervously.

"Christy," the boy said, venom dripping in his tone.

Sabin raised an eyebrow. "No need to sound all angry about it. You were on a date too."

"Please. I wasn't on a date. I was eating with a friend. You were on a date with a bimbo dime-a-dozen chick." Blond hair fell into dark eyes, shading them from the other man.

At this point the two were standing at their rooms, which were across from each other. Chris' face betrayed anger, though his eyes showed a wetness growing in them. "Like you can talk! Austin's slept with every girl on the roster! And most of the guys! What were you doing with him, looking for a cheap-"

"SHUT UP!" Alex was breathing heavy, eyes now locked on Chris. His hands clenched and unclenched at his side. The boy could feel the moisture growing around his eyes. He shook his head. "At least I'm not confused about who I am." With that, the boy turned and entered his room, leaving Chris angry and upset, lines of moisture running down his cheeks.

* * *

**_One last cry  
Before I leave it all behind  
I've gotta put you out of my mind this time  
Been living a lie, I guess_**

* * *

Alex curled himself up on the couch, turning the volume on his iPod up to full blast. He couldn't hear anything, could barely see his vision was so blurred. The teary eyes stared at the picture in front of him, almost angrily. There they were, he and Chris, happy as could be. And then, in an instant, it was shattered. All that was left was a picture, a memory of the moments they'd shared. Putting his head on his arms, Alex let his sorrow overcome him, giving in to the tears he'd held back since their break up. After all, he thought, he could be strong after this night. But he needed to cry. He deserved to. It was the only way to let go of the pain.

Chris slammed the door to his room across the hall. He glared at the door for a moment before punching it with a sob. He hadn't even realized he was crying. He turned and put his back to the door, sliding down it. His knees up to his chest, Chris wrapped his arms around them, burying his face. Sobs wracking his frame, he picked his head up to see a picture of him and Alex. He picked up the nearest thing and threw it at the photo, missing by a long shot. He stood and wiped at his eyes angrily. He had to be stronger than this. He was the only one that could fix it. And he was determined to. He wouldn't let his Alex go.

**_I know I gotta be strong  
'Cause 'round in life goes on and on  
And on and on and on  
I'm gonna dry my eyes right after  
I have my one last cry_**

* * *

_And there's part two. Left with the drama! Yes, I am being extremely dorky and using songs that I like for some reason, what the reason is, is beyond me. Therefore, beware of the dorkiness in song choice. But! If you enjoy, or if you don't, either way... Let me know! Reviews make me a happy person! Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first part. I hope you like it!_


	3. Thinking Of You

_And now, part three! The song I have chosen is "Thinking of You" by *Nsync. Thanks for all the reviews, guys! I appreciate them!_

_Legalities! I own nothing. I just write the stories._

* * *

_**Lying in your arms  
So close together  
Didn't know just what I had  
Now I toss and turn  
Cause I'm without you  
How I'm missing you so bad  
Where was my head?  
Where was my heart?  
Now I cry alone in the dark**_

Sitting in the locker room, waiting for their match to be called, Alex avoided Chris' gaze as their conversations intertwined. It was their match against the current tag champs to see if they'd get their rematch, and they were to win. Obviously.

It seemed to take an eternity for the match to be called, and then the two went out to fight. A new girl joined them out to the ring, acting as their valet until further notice. The Dudleyz had Christy out with them, so it all evened out.

At the end of the match, Alex got the pin. Chris' smile was wide, though only partially real, as he hugged the blond man before heading backstage with the new girl.

As soon as they got backstage, Alex brushed by his partner without a word. "Alex, wait!" The man ignored him, continuing on his way. Sabin sighed, looking at the girl, who stood next to him in baggy black pants and a Motor City Machine Guns tank top. "Marnie, right?"

The ravenette nodded. "Yeah."

He held his hand out. "Glad to be working with you." He looked in the direction the other man had gone. "He's happy to be with you too. He's just... not so happy with me, that's all."

With a knowing smile, Marnie nodded. "I noticed."

*****

Lying back on the bed, the brunette let out a loud sigh. "Stupid empty bed. Need someone else here."

He let his mind travel back to a few months ago.

_Alex's breathing was slow. He was already asleep. Smiling, Chris snuggled closer to him, resting his head on the bare chest of his boyfriend. He pulled the covers over them, reveling in the warmth from the man behind him._

_The man let out a sigh. 'What am I doing here?' he thought. 'This isn't right.' Shaking the thought from his head, he drifted into a comfortable sleep._

Chris punched the pillow under him in an effort to make it more comfortable. "Damn it, why'd I have to be stupid? He'd be here now if not for me." Wiping furiously at his moistened cheeks, he buried his face in the uncomfortable material below him. "God, I miss you. Realize I miss you."

* * *

_**I was such a fool  
I couldn't see it  
Just how good you were to me  
You confessed your love  
Undying devotion  
I confessed my need to be free...  
And now I'm left  
With all this pain  
I've only got myself to blame...yeah...**_

_Alex looked at Chris with a smile, wrapping his arms around the other man's waist. "Got a present for you."_

_The older man raised an eyebrow. "What'd you get me?"_

_Releasing one arm from Chris' waist, Alex reached into his back pocket and pulled out a box._

_Smiling, Chris opened it, revealing a necklace. The pendant showed a C and an A intertwined, made of gold and silver. "It's beautiful, 'Lex."_

_The younger man smiled, leaning up to peck him on the lips. "Merry Chrismas baby."_

Sighing, Chris opened his eyes to stare at the slowly lightening ceiling above him. "Damn memories." He gave up trying to sleep and rolled out of bed, wishing the sun would set again so he could try to chase the evasive sleep.

*****

Sitting near the catering table outside the entrance to ringside, Chris chewed a french fry, listening to Marnie explain how she got there.

"And then, after the WWE decided I wasn't good enough to wrestle with the guys, TNA picked me up, and I started as a jobber, and now here I am," she finished with a smile. The raven girl readjusted her tank top so that it fit better over her mesh top. "Anyway, enough about me. What's been going on with you and Alex? You looked like you got along so well when I was a jobber."

He let out a sigh. "It's complicated. It's kinda like... Well... We dated. And we split up on bad terms. Now... we haven't been able to work it out yet."

The girl nodded knowingly. "Well, have you told him how you feel?"

Chris shook his head. "I haven't been able to yet. See, when we split... We split because I got scared. He said 'I love you' and I... wasn't ready, I guess."

_Chris and Alex were watching a movie back in their room after winning the tag titles again. Alex shifted slightly under the older man, wrapping his arms around his waist a little tighter. He rested his head on Chris' shoulder for a moment before speaking. "Hey baby?"_

_Chris nodded. "Yeah?"_

_"I love you."_

_The man's eyes widened a bit, but he turned and looked at Alex before pressing his lips to the other man's._

_When they parted, Alex smiled. "I'll take that as, 'I love you too.'"_

_The next week, they were in another hotel room. "Hey, 'Lex?"_

_"Yeah, baby?"_

_"I... I gotta tell you something. Please, don't be mad."_

As reality came back to him, Chris saw Marnie nod again, getting a thoughtful look on her face. "You should tell him." She looked around for a moment, smiling at a figure that was coming from around the corner. She'd known he was there the whole time. Standing, she looked back at Chris. As she walked away, she called over her shoulder, "You'd be a better team for it. And I bet he still feels the same way."

Chris looked after her for a moment before noticing Alex walking toward the entrance. He opened his mouth as if to say something to the younger man before closing it again.

Alex looked at him from the corner of his eye. "Ready for the match, Chris?"

Surprised, the older man nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."

* * *

_**I lie awake  
I drive myself crazy  
I drive myself crazy  
Thinking of you  
Made a mistake  
Let you go baby  
I drive myself crazy  
Wanting you the way that I do  
**_

Looking across the bar at the two men dancing, Chris let out a sigh. Alex was out with Austin again, despite Chris' earlier warnings. Mentally hitting himself, he remembered how he'd brought up the man's promiscuous habits. Obviously Alex wasn't going to listen to that.

The older man picked up the bottle of Vodka he'd been nursing and left the bar, heading quickly to his room.

Once there, Chris sat up at the headboard of his bed, resting his back against it as he turned up the volume on the radio. He almost laughed when he realized that there was an *Nsync song playing, but as the lyrics made their way into his mind, he took a long sip from the bottle. As Alex came back into his mind, and how close he and Austin had been down at the bar, Chris let his eyes slide shut. He started singing along quietly. "I drive myself crazy thinking of you..."

*****

A couple weeks later, Chris and Alex were outside the entrance to the ring, waiting as the match before them ended. "Hey... Alex?"

The younger man nodded. "Yeah?"

"I... uh..." He looked down. "I think I need to tell you something."

Alex cocked an eyebrow. "What, Chris?"

"I..." Taking a deep breath, the brunette looked down at his hands. "Do... Do you remember what you told me right before we split up?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I said I love you. Why?"

Chris looked up into the younger man's eyes. "Well... I never said it back."

"I know," Alex said, a slightly pained expression meeting his eyes. "Why are you bringing it up again, Chris?"

"Because... I do. I love you, Alex. I just... I was scared before. I just... I had to tell you." The older man let out a relieved sigh, a comfortable stance coming to him.

The blond man looked down, then back up at his partner. "You think that makes it all okay now?"

Chris shook his head. "No. I don't. But I was hoping we could give it another shot, now that I'm more... open, I guess."

Alex opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, trying to formulate an answer, before speaking. "I'm sorry Chris. I can't." At the sad expression on the brunette's face, he raised a hand. "It's not that I don't care about you. It's just... Me and Austin are together right now. I thought you knew that already."

At those words, the man in question came up behind Alex with a wide smile. "Ready for your match, baby?"

Alex seemed to shrink a bit in the other man's arms, getting an almost nervous expression. "Yeah. Always am."

"Good." He pecked the man on the cheek, then leaned back, arms still around Alex's waist. Alex grimaced unconsciously before looking down at the ground. "Sabin, you better be careful for my man out there. He gets hurt, I'm coming after you."

Chris nodded. "Of course, Aries. Of course."

With a sick smile and another kiss to the man in front of him, Austin walked away.

Alex shivered a bit when Austin was out of sight before returning his gaze to the other match. The man next to him raised an eyebrow. "Hope you know. I'm not giving up yet."

The blond looked at Chris for a moment, the nervous look on his face remaining for a bit before being replaced by a small smile. "Wouldn't expect anything else."

* * *

_Oh dear, and there it is. The drama continues. See, this started off as a oneshot and now it's gonna be nice and long. Well! The next part will have a Backstreet Boys song, it's already determined. So! Thanks to all the reviews I've gotten! Please, keep reviewing! The next part will be up soon!_


	4. More Than That

_On part four already?! Oh geez! This one uses the song "More Than That" by the Backstreet Boys. This chapter is a little more mature than the others, which you will see when you read._

_Legalities! I own nothing. I just let the story flow from my poor abused fingertips._

* * *

_**I can see that you've been crying  
You can't hide it with a lie  
What's the use in you denying  
That what you have is wrong**_

When Chris walked down the hallway to his hotel room, he didn't expect to see his ex-boyfriend sitting outside the door of his.

Alex sat, knees pulled up to his chest, face buried in his arms. He was shaking slightly. When he lifted his head, a bruise could be seen forming over his right eye.

Chris sped up, kneeling beside Alex quickly. "Jesus, what happen, 'Lex?"

The younger man shook his head, wiping tentatively at his moistened cheeks. "Nothing, Chris. I'm fine. I just... felt like sitting out here for a while."

Putting a hand on his cheek, the other man turned Alex's head. He looked at the purple eye, concerned, before speaking again. "What did he do?"

The blond man shook his head. "Nothing, Chris. I'm fine."

*****

Austin and Alex had been dating for about three months. For the first month and a half, Austin had been all sugar and presents, perfectly nice. But after their first "I love you", the man changed.

Alex wouldn't admit what was happening, but Chris could see the evidence. While everyone else in the locker room bought his lies, Chris watched as Alex showed up with bruise after bruise. He knew where they were from. It was obvious, at least to him.

As the bruises got worse, so too did Austin's hold on Alex's personal life. He controlled everything for the younger man. And Alex let him.

Chris could only sit on the sidelines as the man he loved, the man he swore to not give up on, was forced into submission by someone he thought he could trust.

*****

In the locker room, Chris changed quickly. He looked up, almost surprised, when Marnie came from the direction of the showers, toweling off her hair. The girl was already dressed in her usual attire. He raised an eyebrow at her presence in the men's locker room. She shrugged with a smirk and left.

Upon her leaving, the brunette sat on the bench, letting out a sigh. When Alex walked in, surprisingly alone, he stood. "Hey 'Lex."

The blond looked at him for a moment, slightly turned away, before looking down shakily. "Hey Chris." He put his bag down on the bench, revealing a pair of handprint-shaped bruises on his upper arms. When he looked back up, a small cut under his left eye became visible above the fist marks.

Chris shook his head with a sigh. "Why do you let him do this to you, Alex?"

"What are you talking about?" the younger man snarled angrily.

"You can't tell me he's not doing anything to you! He's leaving marks on you. And I can tell you don't like them." The brunette wrapped a hand around Alex's wrist.

The younger man flinched. "Please let go. Don't do it."

Raising an eyebrow, Chris let go. "Do what, 'Lex?"

Alex pushed a hand through his hair, turning away. "Nothing. Never mind. Don't worry about me, Chris."

*****

_**I heard him promise you forever  
But forevers come and gone  
Baby he would say whatever  
It takes to keep you blind  
To the truth between the lines**_

"I wouldn't leave you for the world, baby," Austin purred from behind his boyfriend. Alex smiled nervously, leaning back into the other man's chest. They were sitting out by the entrance, waiting for Austin's match so Alex could watch him.

Chris stood around the corner, listening to the false promise coming from the man. He shook his head as the cue for Austin came.

"Gotta go baby. I'll see you after your match." Alex just nodded, tilting his chin up to peck the man quickly. As Austin walked out to the ramp, the younger man let out a shudder.

Chris came from around the corner, causing the blond to jump. Brow furrowed, he went over and sat by Alex, who shrunk away from him slightly. The older man put a hand on Alex's chin, turning his head so the bruise from before could be seen better. "Why do you stay, 'Lex?"

With a shaky breath, the younger man looked down. "I can't walk away from him, Chris. He said he loves me..."

The brunette let out a sigh. "He'd say anything to keep you for a punching bag."

Alex's eyes snapped up to meet Chris'. He just kept the gaze locked for a moment before looking down again. He reached a shaking hand up to push through his hair. "He loves me, Chris. He just gets angry."

*****

_**There's not a day that passes by  
I don't wonder why we haven't tried  
It's not too late to change your mind  
So take my hand, don't say goodbye**_

Another two months passed, much the same way, to Chris' dismay. Alex still wouldn't leave, and Austin just got worse and worse.

Chris was opening the door to the room he'd just gotten when he heard a bang from the room across the hall. With a concerned look, the brunette stopped in his tracks. He heard yelling and another bang before the door opened and Austin stalked out of the room. Chris started moving again as the other man spoke over his shoulder again. "And don't start with the I love you bullshit either. Maybe I'll be back later. Maybe." He slammed the door behind him and started to walk away when he saw Chris. He turned with a smile. "You saw nothing Sabin." Chris just nodded and let the man go to the elevator.

As soon as he felt it was safe, Chris walked to the other door and found it open. He let himself in and listened for sounds of the man he was sure was in the room.

Walking to the bathroom, he found Alex sitting against the wall, knees up to his chest. His head was up and he was crying freely, sporting another purpling eye. When he saw Chris, he just started crying harder.

The brunette knelt beside the younger man and tentatively reached a hand out to touch his shoulder. Alex flinched at first, but soon the older man was rubbing his shoulder comfortingly.

Looking down at the floor angrily, the blond spoke. "Why does he do this to me?"

Chris sighed. "I don't know, 'Lex. Why do you stay?"

WIth a shaking breath, he looked back up at the man. "He loves me, Chris. Should I leave someone who loves me?"

"He doesn't love you, he loves to hit you."

Alex just stared at him for a moment before dropping his head again. His voice lowered to barely a whisper. "I know."

The brunette leaned a little closer to the man. "Then leave. Come with me, leave him. He won't hurt you if I'm around."

The blond looked up, meeting Chris' eye before he nodded. "Just... please, don't let him get me again."

Chris wrapped his arms around the younger man, nodding. "Don't worry, 'Lex. He won't hurt you again."

_**I will love you more than that  
I won't say those words, then take them back  
Don't give loneliness a chance  
Baby listen to me when I say  
I will love you more than that**_

With a sigh, Chris looked at the form on the bed opposite him. It had been about two weeks since Alex finally left Austin, and the boy was still shaky and nervous at the smallest contact. He raised an eyebrow when Alex turned to face him. "You should be asleep, 'Lex. We have an early day tomorrow."

The blond eyed him for a moment before sighing. "I know. But I was wondering about something."

"What?" Chris asked, propping his head up on an elbow.

"What you said before, when me and Austin just started dating..." Alex looked down. "Did you mean it?"

"That I love you?" Alex nodded sheepishly. Chris smiled. "Yeah, I did. I do. I love you, Alex."

The younger man met his eye for a moment before a smile crossed his face. "Good."

The brunette shook his head slightly, still smiling. "So, where's that leave us?"

Alex looked at him before standing. He walked over to the other man's bed and laid next to him. "Back at the beginning?"

Wrapping his arms around the younger man, Chris' smile widened. "Good. I missed you."

* * *

_So, I'm seeing one more chapter after this one... And then we shall be complete, my little ones! The last song will be another *Nsync song. Hope you enjoyed this, and keep reviewing! Reviews make it all worthwhile!_


	5. This I Promise You

_Ah, here it is. The final part. It makes me sad to think this is the last part... But I've enjoyed writing it, despite what I made Austin into and all that. In reality, I adore Austin, so don't think I hate him for what I had him do in the last chapter. For some reason, it just seemed to fit._

_So! Legalities! I own nothing, I just write the stories._

* * *

Looking across the ring with almost fearful eyes, a freshly blond Alex Shelley tried to calm himself so he could fight the man before him.

Shaking his head, Austin stood in a ready position, waiting on the bell so he could take his anger out on the man who'd left him several weeks ago.

Alex jumped when the bell rang, almost not expecting it. He slowly circled the ring, pushing thoughts of running from his mind.

With a cold laugh, Aries dove at him unexpectedly, hitting him with a Thez press. Upon landing, the man began punching furiously.

The blond let him hit for a couple of moments before attempting to get him off. He rolled slightly and backed away to the turnbuckle, standing slowly. His eyes were wide and scared, with a slight moistness coming to them at the feeling of what could have been a broken nose.

Austin snarled before hitting another Thez press. With punch after punch to the man below him, he felt his anger growing. He didn't stop until he felt Alex go limp under him. Pressing his hands on the shoulders of the other man, he got the three count and rolled out of the ring, leaving with a sick smile.

Chris came running from backstage, sliding into the ring to kneel beside the younger man. He put a hand on his shoulder, shaking him slightly. When Alex didn't move, the brunette leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "He's gone, 'Lex. You can open your eyes now."

The blond opened them slowly with a grimace, sitting up carefully. He looked back and forth from Chris to the entrance for a moment before sliding out of the ring and starting backstage. The brunette slid out behind the blond, putting an arm around him to help him walk.

Upon reaching the locker room, Alex let himself collapse onto one of the benches, visibly shaken by the encounter in the ring. Chris looked down at him for a moment before speaking. "Want to just head to the hotel? They won't miss us, I'm sure."

The blond nodded numbly. "Yeah," he whispered gently, looking at the floor.

The other man helped him stand, grabbing their bag quickly, and the two left quickly.

_**When the visions around you,  
Bring tears to your eyes  
And all that surround you,  
Are secrets and lies**_

* * *

After a short shower, Chris and Alex were sitting on the couch of their hotel room, still silent. Alex was leaning forward, his head in his hands and his elbows on his knees. Chris was rubbing small circles on his boyfriend's back. He smiled a bit when Alex sat back, leaning into him. "You okay, baby?"

The blond let out a sigh. He put a hand up to his face tentatively, glad that his nose wasn't broken after all, and nodded. "Yeah. Just... stupid match. Glad he's going back to ROH."

Chris nodded, hugging the younger man to him for a moment before returning to his previous circular pattern. "Yeah. You won't have to deal with him for a while."

Alex looked back at the brunette with a smile. "Yeah." He pressed his lips to the other man's lightly before resting back on his chest, sliding down to be more comfortable.

With a small laugh, Chris leaned back as well so that the two were almost laying on the couch, both very comfortable in each other's arms.

Blue eyes slid shut and he seemed to be asleep when he spoke. "Hey, Chris?"

"Yeah, 'Lex?" he responded, voice quiet.

"Thank you." The younger man's hand reached up to grasp Chris' free one.

Chris smiled warmly. "Don't thank me. You do things like this for someone you care about."

With a content sigh, Alex snuggled closer to the man. A few minutes later, he spoke again. "Hey, Chris?"

"Yeah, 'Lex?"

A sweet smile crossed the boy's face as he spoke. "I love you."

Chuckling a bit, Chris leaned down to kiss Alex lightly. "I love you too, baby."

_**I'll be your strength,  
I'll give you hope,  
Keeping your faith when it's gone  
The one you should call,  
Was standing here all along..**_

* * *

A pair of strong arms wrapped around Alex's waist, drawing a small smile from the young man. "I was worried you were going to be late."

A deep laugh came from the man behind him. "Never. Not on a day like today."

Chris emerged from behind his boyfriend, kissing him quickly before they heard footsteps coming their way.

It was the day that Austin was to leave, and word had it, he was hoping to find Alex before he left. Alex had a match that night, so it wasn't like he could just hide out somewhere to avoid it. So, Chris was intent on being there.

From around the corner came a furious Austin. He'd lost his match, and was leaving on a loss. Clearly, he was angry about that. The man glared at the two before him before reaching angrily for his bag. He pulled it over his shoulder, eyes never leaving the younger of the couple.

The man stalked to the door before stopping. He turned and walked slowly up to Alex. "I won't forget this, Shelley. I'll be where you least expect me." With that, he left the arena and drove back to ROH.

After several minutes of silence, Alex let out a shuddering breath. Chris took a step closer to him, wrapping his arms around the boy's waist. "You okay, babe?"

The blond let his eyes slide shut for a moment before blue met dark brown. "Yeah. I'm okay now. He's gone."

Chris smiled, resting his forehead lightly on the younger man's. "He won't hurt you again baby, I promise. I love you."

Alex's somber face broke out in a small smile. "I love you too."

_**I've loved you forever,  
In lifetimes before  
And I promise you never...  
Will you hurt anymore**_

* * *

It was Christmas again, about six months later. Chris and Alex got to return home to Detroit to see their families that year. The two decided to stay with Alex's family, since they already knew about the two dating.

Sitting around the tree with the family, Chris smiled around at the people who had welcomed him openly. There was a small girl bouncing up and down in her seat, waiting for the presents. Her mother, Alex's sister, was holding a cup of coffee in her hand and looking through the pile for the first gift to give the girl. Alex's parents were sitting on the other side of their daughter, smiling at their granddaughter.

As the young girl started opening presents, Alex felt something slip into his hand. He looked down to see a wrapped present. He looked up at Chris, eyebrow raised, and started opening it. Inside was a small box. He opened it slowly, revealing a small silver band. He looked up at his boyfriend with a smile. The older man smiled back, taking the ring out of the box and slipping it onto Alex's finger.

Alex reached into his pocket and revealed a present of his own. Unwrapping and opening the box, Chris revealed a familiar necklace. He gasped a bit. "I... I thought you'd gotten rid of this."

The blond shook his head. "Never. And besides, look closer."

The brunette took the necklace out of the box, looking closer at the pendant. Where previously it had been only a C and an A intertwined, gold an silver, there was an added letter. An S was shared between them, showing the meld of the two metals. Toward the middle was a small heart-shaped diamond. Chris smiled wider, looking at the younger man. "It's beautiful."

Alex smiled, taking the necklace from the boy, and helped him put it on. He moved back to sit next to the other man, who turned to face him. The blond leaned forward and pressed his lips to Chris' lightly. "Merry Christmas, baby."

"Aww, Uncle Alex and Uncle Chris kissed!" The little girl clapped, pulling the attention of the two men from each other.

Chris felt a blush crawl across his cheeks as he looked around at the smiling faces of the family. "Sorry."

Alex's mother laughed. "Don't apologise for who you love."

Alex looked at his partner with a laugh. "Yeah. They don't mind it here. This is where we belong."

The older family members nodded, and the focus quickly returned to the younger girl and her presents.

Chris smiled when he felt Alex lean into him. "Promise me you'll stay this time."

Wrapping his arms around the younger man lightly, Chris pecked him on the forehead. "I promise. No more going back. This is where we're meant to be. Just like this."

Alex sighed contently. "Good." He turned his head slightly to look at the other man, pressing his lips to Chris' again quickly.

The men returned their attention back to the girl opening her presents. Chris sighed contently, thinking to himself. 'I'm finally comfortable. I'm happy. I'm in love.' He looked at Alex with a reminiscent smile. 'And I'll never be alone.'

_**And I will take  
You in my arms  
And hold you right where you belong  
Till the day my life is through  
This I promise you baby  
Just close your eyes  
Each loving day  
I know this feeling won't go away  
Every word I say is true  
This I promise you**_

* * *

_Ah, and there it is. The end of a good thing. I'm sad to see the end here already. A misty-eyed author should mean misty-eyed readers, right? So! Thanks to all the reviewers! Please, review this chapter even though I'm done with this one for now. Hope you enjoyed! Keep a look out for more from me, there's bound to be more like this!_


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